Scott Redding reflected on his “mega” Phillip Island WorldSBK after previously expressing a lack of self-belief.
The 32-year-old finished the opening round of the new season with two fourth-place finishes and a fifth-place finish.
The new season marked a change for Bonovo Racing as the satellite team formed a new partnership with Ducati, ending its affiliation with BMW.
The Brit reflected on his first weekend back aboard a V4 Panigale having previously spent two years with the factory outfit in 2020 and 2021.
Redding expressed that he had second-guessed his ability after three difficult years with BMW, but his performances in Australia have provided a confidence boost.
“I think it was a mega first weekend, of course I want to be fighting for the podium, I just didn’t end up on the podium, but that wasn’t for a lack of trying or giving my all because I did everything I could,” he said to WorldSBK.
“I think me and the team need to learn a little bit still but the team have been amazing, I have had so much fun with them this whole week of racing, on and off the track.
“It would have been nice to be on the podium, my plan of 5th, 4th, then 3rd to be the comeback kid but I just didn’t quite have it today.
“It’s good for me to know that I’m capable of running in the top 5 again in WorldSBK because after three difficult years I questioned myself for sure, I think its normal for every rider to have that question mark of ‘do I still have it?’
“I was a bit nervous because we made a big plan to have Ducati in this team, and I’ve been working hard, my management has been working hard, the team has been working hard to find the funding to even make this happen.
“So there was a lot of pressure on my shoulders, so Race 1 I was sort of shaking in my boots as we say, but then I got the rhythm, built my confidence, and now I’m looking forward to this season.”
Scott Redding: All weekend ‘I was riding at 105%’
Redding revealed his only regret of the weekend’s work was not featuring on the rostrum.
The British rider explained that he is still finding his feet on the Ducati, as limited pre-season testing hampered his re-adjustment to the Panigale.
He revealed he was riding over the limit at “105%” but was ultimately “happy” with his results.
“My Sunday was good, I really wanted that podium so bad, in the Superpole Race I was also battling with Danilo [Petrucci] but I’m still just learning a few things on the bike with the used tyres, and also with the electronics and the bike setup because honestly we only really started to feel good with the bike here in testing, it was the only time we made progress with the bike.
“Now we’re learning a lot and it’s fantastic being back at the front and overtaking guys, being where I feel I should be.
“I had a lot of fun, in the second race I said ok, find the yellow bike or the red bike and use everything to stay after them.
“I had a great start, I was right on both of them and said ok, don’t let go, but they were just faster than me, I was riding at 105%, and they looked like they were relatively comfortable.
“I did the best I could do, and walking away with three top fives, I’m happy with that.”
Redding ended the first weekend in fifth place in the championship with a total of 30 points, behind Barni Spark’s Danilo Petrucci, Team GoEleven’s Andrea Iannone, and the factory Ducati duo of Nicolo Bulega and Alvaro Bautista.
READ MORE – Scott Redding: ‘I don’t get paid’ but Bonovo Ducati switch gives me ‘motivation’ for 2025 WorldSBK season
